A proposed odour bylaw to tackle persistent stink in London’s south end is sparking a business backlash, with one food waste giant coming out swinging against the rules.

StormFisher, a company that turns organic materials into biogas and fertilizer, is taking aim at the draft rules that include having a city bylaw officer track bad smells using a super sniffer device.

In what could signal a larger battle brewing, the company argues the draft bylaw unfairly targets private business.

“It’s targeting our type of business,” said Brandon Moffatt, vice-president of development at StormFisher, noting the city-owned landfill isn’t covered by the bylaw. “Let’s actually deal with all odour sources in the city, rather than two or three different types of odours.”

Residents in London’s south end have long complained about terrible stenches radiating from area compost and waste facilities.

Gerry Macartney, head of London’s Chamber of Commerce, wants to see the city hammer out a bylaw that appeases both sides.

“We don’t want to think about waste. We’re happy just to get rid of it. But when you get rid of it, there are consequences. Things like waste are going to smell,” he said.

“We’re going to continually go through this ebb and flow, this push and pull of the needs between residents — and their right to have a good quality of life — and the need for industry to do this.”

Macartney advocates for a “deep dive” into best practices for managing trash around the world. A solid waste system that balances the rights of citizens and business could become even more crucial as the province rolls out its Waste Free Ontario Act, which bans organic waste from landfills.

Jared Zaifman, whose ward includes the StormFisher facility near Highway 401 and Wellington Road, said he plans to raise some of those difficult questions at the next council meeting in March.

“The smell still exists,” he added. “We have to look out for our residents.”

But Zaifman wonders why the proposed rules don’t apply to London’s landfill. The draft bylaw is limited to three odour sources: compost plants, anaerobic digestion facilities, and rendering facilities where animals are processed.

That means the proposed bylaw includes Orgaworld, the composter that was slapped with a $1.1 million fine in October, but excludes the city’s dump, and private wastewater facilities like the one that leached a sour cabbage-like smell into neighbourhoods earlier this month and prompted concerns of a natural gas leak.

“I do agree with them that we should not just target (private business) and not target our own premises as well,” said Coun. Harold Usher, who represents south-end ward 12.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change already has a complaint-based monitoring system for bad smells, which covers all of those facilities, including London’s landfill.

The city’s bylaw boss, Orest Katolyk, said the proposed bylaw would work in tandem with provincial rules.

“This will be yet another parallel process that hopefully will address some of those quality of life issues that the residents have brought up,” Katolyk said.

And bylaw officers will still track odours around London’s dump, it just won’t be ticketed or charged.

“We typically we don’t prosecute against ourselves,” Katolyk said.

The city will measure odour in three ways – with an “odour detection device” called the Nasal Ranger, using their own “qualitative” assessments, and by gathering statements from those who report the problem.

Moffatt’s not convinced the Nasal Ranger — a snout-like handheld device that runs about $2,000 — is the kind of technology the city should be using.

“The challenge with that device is it doesn’t distinguish between smells,” he said. “Someone could get it wrong.”

Zaifman said he’s not interested in waiting around for more debate about the best scent-sourcing technology.

“Whether the Nasal Rangers are the best option, or something else, I think time will tell,” he said.

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